Testimony in jeopardy from accuser in Rilya murder

CATHERINE WILSONAssociated Press

Published Saturday, June 18, 2005

MIAMI -- A career criminal who promised to be a key witness has gotten cold feet about helping prosecutors in the murder case against the caregiver of Rilya Wilson, the 4-year-old foster child whose disappearance forced massive changes in the state's child protection system.

"Her testimony in the case may be in jeopardy," attorney Ellis Rubin said Friday. "She's a sure thing if she gets the proper recognition."

His client, Robin Lunceford, has been offered a 20-year prison sentence on a pending armed robbery charge but wants a deal for a three- to five-year sentence in exchange for her testimony, Rubin said.

Lunceford, 42, has gone to prosecutors with evidence against Rilya's murder suspect Geralyn Graham as well as other inmates. Lunceford has been convicted of more than a dozen robberies and has tried to escape from prison three times.

She shared a holding cell with Graham, 59, and gave investigators details that she said she gleaned after forming a flirtatious relationship with Graham.

The girl's body has not been found, but police suspect she was killed in December 2000. Graham's roommate, Pamela Graham, is cooperating with prosecutors and acknowledged Rilya was abused at home, but has offered no firsthand information on the alleged killing.

Lunceford told investigators that Geralyn Graham told her the child was evil, was smothered with a pillow and was buried in a gully. Lunceford said Graham whispered "I killed it" and said the girl "had demons."

Graham's attorney said Lunceford was not to be believed.

"Robin Lunceford showed her true motivation today. She is not testifying to do the right thing. She's testifying to manipulate her future," said defense attorney Brian Tannebaum. "This puts Robin Lunceford's credibility down further below what it was too start with, which was pretty low."

But even if Lunceford won't cooperate with prosecutors, they have sworn statements from her and could use them at trial.

"The key will be developing good evidence," Ed Griffith, spokesman for the state attorney's office, said Friday. As with any inmate, he said, "Evidence you corroborate is valuable. Evidence you cannot corroborate you use at a risk. Our perspective on this is to corroborate what she says."

Police believe Rilya was dead more than 15 months before the state Department of Children & Families realized in April 2002 that the girl was missing despite a requirement for monthly home visits. She was supposed to be under state supervision after being taken from a drug-addicted mother.

The Grahams claimed she had been removed from the home by a state worker in January or February 2001. The discovery that Rilya was missing triggered a search that extended nationally and to the Bahamas, but police claim the Grahams lied about the girl's disappearance to cover up her slaying.

The girl's unnoticed disappearance prompted review of the state's child protection system by a blue-ribbon commission named by the governor. The DCF chief, Miami administrators and caseworkers quit in the fallout.